Custom Properties in Toolbox Parts

I have not used toolbox very much, but now need to. I would like to
add custom properties (size, description, and material) to the parts.
I have managed to get them into the dialogue, but they do not propogate
to the BOM. When I reopen the "Edit toolbox Definition" dialogue the
information I entered is gone. How can I get this to work. The
solidworks tech support says I may have to have my own library to do
this.

How are you handling toolbox parts in BOM's?

Bryan Compton
sw2k7 sp1.0 x64

 

Ok, just to get it straight, you mean your reseller told you to do that,
right? SW Corporate guys know better, but many reseller AEs are chumps,
especially when it comes to things like Toolbox.

The stock corporate answer you should have received is to add properties
via the interface at (through the menus) Toolbox, Configure, Properties.
Enter the properties you want to populate in the upper left, and
optionally you can make selection lists so people don't key in the wrong
thing. You can even assign default values. This is a big improvement
over the old way, but it still has the biggest weakness of the old
method: you cannot pre-mass-populate (a la design table configuration
method), you have to assign properties for each individual fastener in
the PropertyManager interface that shows up when you size a toolbox
part, as they are created.

They keep trying with this product, and it improves in tiny increments.

Anyway, to get properties into the BOM you have to have a BOM set up
with special columns to accept the properties. The Help should be able
to help you out with that. In the help, go to the Index tab and enter
bill of materials, custom properties.

 

Thanks Matt, I have been doing this process as you have described, but
when I add the properties in the property manager interface they are
not retained. I have the BOM columns set up for my custom properties.
It works for parts I have created.

 

Mayy,

Please tell me that you will be doing a Toolbox talk at SWW this year.
Pretty please with a cherry on top?!?

Muggs

 

Have you got your parts set to read only? Are you setting the properties
at the same time that you create them? have you got the Don't Prompt
to Save Read-Only Parts setting turned on? How about the Allow Separate
Configurations for Equivalent Geometry (or however its worded) option?

I'm not saying this is a great way to do things. I'm a big fan of having
your own library specifically because Toolbox is such a pos when it
comes to this.

It may be creating new configurations every time you change the custom
properties, or the parts may be read only and the data isn't being saved.

 

SolidWorks would not allow me to do a talk on Toolbox. It would be ugly
and sarcastic. I may have something about it in the spring, kind of an
update of the stuff that has been getting dusty on my website. If you
would like to come to Virginia Tech in the beautiful hills of
south-western Virginia on December 7, I'm doing a user group
presentation on Toolbox then. That will be fun...

Other fun presentations would be mold tools and smart fasteners

 

Since we are on the subject of Toolbox. I also have a seat of
Inventor. While generally I like SW many times better, the IV toolbox
is considerably better. The IV Toolbox actually has engineering tools
not just parts. For most parts there is a "data" sheet where variables
can be set/ selected which help determine which size of perticular part
that should be used. The "data sheets" are apparently based upon much
of the Machinery Handbook and work similar to an Excel spread sheet,
(ie. by chaning a vairables all of the appropriate boxes get updated).
This is a great tool for design. It really does make the SW Toolbox
look like a toy.

And the most interesting part is that the IV Toolbox is bundled free
with IV 10 and above.....

Actually, the IV version of PDM Works, (ie. Vault) is also bundled free
since IV 10 and above...

Come on SW! Lets get your act together!

EdT